The 4 P’s Of Dadhood – The First Two P’s
This is part of the The Dad Toolbox series, providing tools and resources to be a great dad. Read more from the series!
It doesn’t take a whole lot to be a father.
Biologically speaking, that is…
The truth is, just about any man can be a father. But to be a great father… Well, that’s a whole different picture.
I’m not going to tell you that I have it all figured out. I know just how often I fail as a dad. Those moments are very apparent to me.
But, as the father of five kids, and a sixth one on the way, I have found a few things to be crucial elements in becoming a successful dad.
First, let’s define the term “successful”. For me, to be a success as a father means that my kids know, without a doubt, that I love them. It means that I give them the tools they will need to be successful themselves, no matter what they strive for. It means that I build in them character, and model it in my own life. It means that I teach them how to stand strong in their faith, becoming a man or a woman that rests solidly upon God, in every area of their lives.
The key to helping my children become what I want them to become, what God wants them to become, is to model those qualities myself. And that’s no easy task.
Over the last thirteen years, I’ve identified at least four key components of successful dad-hood. These four characteristics are necessary to develop in my own life, as I become the dad God created me to be. And they are necessary in my life as I strive to raise my kids in a Godly fashion, helping them become the persons that God created them to be.
Top Posts For July 2012
It is hard to believe that summer is drawing to a close! August is here!
That means back to school for most students. We homeschool, and with our move from Missouri, we had some catching up to do, so I’m afraid my kids didn’t get much of a summer break…
But back to school is an important time in youth ministry. Students will be moving back into a regular routine, which means the craziness of summer will be slowing down somewhat. Just in time for the craziness of fall to begin!
August still holds another week of church camp for me, so things are still pretty busy. And when you add car repairs, a pregnancy, and a neighborhood of friendly kids, our house remains pretty busy.
In case you missed them, here are my top seven posts for the month of July:
- The Difference Between Purpose, Vision, and Mission
- Trying A New Bible Reading System
- 8 Reasons Why I Love Summer Church Camp
- Book Review – Ear Mor Chikin; Inspire More People by S. Truett Cathy
- Tips For Becoming More Consistent In Your Bible Reading
- Book Review – Empty Promises by Pete Wilson
- Memorize Scripture With Me!
One of the main reasons I started blogging a few years ago was to read and review books I received from various publishers. That aspect of my blog is still going strong, with two of my top seven being book reviews. One of them I wrote recently, the other is from a few years ago.
The rest of my list is filled with posts dealing with spiritual growth or youth ministry. Both are topics I write on frequently, so it’s good to know that I have found my niche in the blogging world. That said, July was also the start of a new aspect of my blog: The Dad Toolbox.
This is a topic I plan to expand and fill out significantly in the coming months. I see a tremendous need for fathers to step up and become great dads. This has become a passionate topic for me over the last several years. Hopefully, my thoughts and experiences will be able to help other fathers become great dads.
My favorite post written in June was the opening post from that series: 12 Way To Be A Great Dad (Or Mom). While these are simple ideas, they aren’t always the easiest. But they are crucial.
As August starts, I’m pretty excited to see what it holds. Enjoy!
If you are a blogger, leave a comment with your top post for the month. If you don’t blog, leave a comment with a favorite post or blog that you read this month.
12 Ways To Be A Great Dad (Or Mom)
This is part of the The Dad Toolbox series, providing tools and resources to be a great dad. Read more from the series!
My family is getting larger.
We are expecting our next child in January 2013.
But with children comes responsibility. That seems so obvious, but so many dads have missed that somehow.
Let me say it again: With children comes responsibility.
A few weeks ago, I took some kids, including one of my daughters, to church camp. I watched a dad arrive with his son, unload the luggage, register, and then leave, all without taking his phone from his ear. The only time he even spoke to his son was after he failed his swim test. He pulled the phone away and growled “You’d better pass it tomorrow!”
As I got to know this boy throughout the week, it quickly became apparent that this was pretty normal in his life. He craved attention from the faculty, especially the men. From that one moment, it was easy to see that this boy had a father, but he didn’t have a dad. This man is failing his son, and he probably doesn’t even know it.
This is an area in my life where I do not want to be passive. I do not want to fail in this. In order to be a great father, I must be active and take the initiative in the lives of my kids.
I must be intentional.
And that means I must continually reinforce to them that they are one of my top priorities.
Here are some things I’ve found helpful in communicating that to my children.
Memorize Scripture – Week 30
This week, we will memorize the first half of one of my favorite passages in the Bible.
You can find it in Jeremiah 29, verses 11 and 12. Next week, we will look at verses 13-14:
This promise was written by Jeremiah to a nation who was facing punishment and exile into a foreign land. God was tired of their lack of faith and frustrated with their idolatry and worship of other gods.
Jeremiah’s message was one of gloom and destruction. But there are glimpses in these chapters of God’s love, regardless of what his people had done (or not done…).
The same is true for us. God has a plan. And while we may not see the whole picture, he does. He has a design, one in which he pours out blessings into our lives. Those blessing may take material form; and they may not. But they are there nonetheless.
The result? We will continue to call upon him; and he will continue to hear us.
That’s pretty incredible, if you ask me.
Do you have trouble resting assured of God’s plans for you? What do you do to combat this? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
The Dad Toolbox
There’s an epidemic in America.
It’s true. Look around.
Father’s are failing to be the Dad their kids need them to be.
Some father’s just don’t care.
Others don’t know how.
And still others are just clueless.
My desire to to be a great Dad. I want my kids to know without a doubt that I love them. I want my kids to feel valued and encouraged by me. I want my kids to have a solid relationship with me all of their lives. And I want to teach and model to my kids how to have a solid relationship with God.
But that won’t happen unless I am intentional about making it happen.
And as I learn and grow in this area, I want to share that information with other dads.
Wisdom From A Boxing Great
